Tragic Traitor
by fancifulpants
Summary: An unexpected take on the Maurauders story. Everyone knows that Peter's a rat, but who knows why? What could have lead a, by all appearances, happy boy to kill his best friend, and his family? Perhaps it’s a reason so obvious, no one saw it coming. Cont
1. Preview, Disclaimer, and Better Summary

PREVIEWS & DISCLAIMERS  
  
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All your base are belong to JK Rowling.  
  
(I own nothing, Okay? That's pretty much what that meant. Nothing except the plot. If you steal my plot, I am SO hunting you down. It's hard to come up with an original plot, but I think I may have done it.)  
  
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Better Summary Information:  
  
An unexpected take on the classic Marauders story. Everyone knows that Peter's a rat, (excuse the pun,) but who knows why? What could have lead a, by all appearances, happy boy to kill his best friend, his wife and young child? Perhaps it's a reason that no one could have expected. A reason so unusual, it almost doesn't make sense, but so commonplace you almost should have seen it coming? Love. This story will follow the students from 6th year and beyond, starting with first year. Romance, Adventure, Intrigue and Humor all steer this tragic tail to an inescapable conclusion. Enjoy the ride.  
  
Preview:  
  
PREVIEW HAS BEEN REMOVED BECAUSE IT WASN'T COOL ENOUGH. AND ESSENTIALLY, CHAPTERS ONE THROUGH THREE ARE ALL KIND OF A PREVIEW.   
  
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Read it. You'll be surprised by the SHEER AWESOMENESS of this fic. So read, okay? Cool people like my fic, so if you don't like it, you're just not sheer awesomeness, okay? So be sheer awesomeness, and Read and review, okay? Well, even if you aren't astounded by the SHEER AWESOMENESS of this fic, review it anyway so I can fix it, and make it better, so you WILL be astounded by the SHEER AWESOMENESS of this fic. Lol, you're getting sick of me saying "SHEER AWESOMENESS," aren't you? Well haven't you ever heard that by saying things enough times, sometimes you make them true? But I don't think this is the right kind of thing. But maybe like, subliminal messages will make you like it or something. I don't know. So go read it. Look, Harry Potter wants you to read it, see?  
  
"Read all of Leha's fanfiction!" Harry Potter said, drinking a glass of pumpkin juice laced with veritas serum, "For two reasons. One, because this is a really cool story even though I'm not in it, (I AM in one of her other fics, even though it's a parody,) and two, because she made me endorse her fanfiction."  
  
See? Now read it. Or if you hate it, read my other fiction. Or if you LOVE it, read my other fiction. Go ahead and FLAME me if you want. I don't mind. I like reviews. 


	2. New Beginnings

Chapter One: New Beginnings  
  
  
  
Cheesy Name I know But I wasn't feeling creative. On to the story:   
  
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Standard disclaimers apply. Don McLean: I'm sorry. Sorry to you too, Ferguson the radio maker.   
  
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Peter strolled merrily on his way to platform 9 and three quarters. He was very excited, and a bit jumpy, being his first day at a real wizard's school. With the help of his parents, he loaded his large trunk into the train car, and was set with a bag lunch of a turkey and Cheddar sandwich on whole grain wheat bread and a few sickles for juice. He jumped around excitedly looking at the other students. His mother looked tired and aggravated from trying to keep up with the feisty 11 year old.   
  
"Are you sure you don't want to go to a NORMAL person school, Petey?" His mother asked him pleadingly, "Daddy says you can go to Worthingtonfordstanbridge Academy for Incredibly Gifted and Exceedingly Wealthy Young Boys and become a neurosurgeon like him!"   
  
"Mom I'm 11 years old, you don't have to call me Petey. And of COURSE I'm sure I want to go to Hogworts and not dumb old Worthingtonfordstanbridge."   
  
"Aw, Pamela, let the boy go." A young man with vibrant chesnut brown hair interjected.   
  
"Pat, you're not helping." She chided.   
  
"It'll be fun to have a wizard in the family, eh sport?" He ruffled Peter's hair with his hand and laughed, picking up the boy, abnormally small for his age, and giving him a suffocating bear hug.   
  
"Don't let the guys see you hugging me dad, they'd tease me for forever." Said peter smoothing his hair to a condition he found suitable.  
  
"Don't worry Pete, your image is top priority." He said with a booming laugh that rang all through the train station.   
  
"Give mommy a kiss, Petey, and be safe!" She bent down and kissed her small son, leaving a lipstick imprint on his cheek, which he wiped off vigorously with his shirt sleeve.   
  
"Peter Patrick Pettigrew! Where do you get off messing up your brand new and perfectly pressed white shirt?" His mother corrected, angrily examining the sleeve.   
  
"I'll change on the train mom! Calm down!" Peter rolled his eyes, and seeing the look on his mothers face, quickly masked it as looking at the interesting arches on the ceiling.   
  
"Bye Pete, see you at Christmas!" His father bellowed with a smile and a wave, wrapping his arm around Peter's nervous mother and pulling her closer.   
  
"Bye Peter, don't forget to write to us! And follow all of the rules! And listen to your teachers! And do your homework! And make new friends!"  
  
"Pamela, he's just going to School, not to the Moon." Pat stopped her mid-sentence.   
  
"I know, but still…" She said with a wistful sigh at her young son.   
  
"He'll be fine. Bye Pete!"  
  
"Bye Peter!"  
  
He waved goodbye to his mother and father, and escorted them out through the solid brick wall. Looking around, He saw another boy with his mom and dad. He had messy black hair that looked like he'd taken a comb to it backwords, and circular glasses, covered at the top by his long dark bangs.  
  
"By James, have fun at Hogworts! Oh Frederick, do you remember when we were still at Hogwarts? Oh it was such fun, I wonder if Binns still teaches there, one of these days he's just going to walk right of his skin and keep on teaching History, I tell you." A young slender woman with long Ebony hair chirped merrily.   
  
"Now, now, Hannah, we must let James get on the train or he can never get to Hogworts." A man with black hair, slicked with wet gel, and circular glasses with a light tortoise rim.   
  
"You're right," she said with a longing sigh, like she wanted to get on the train in his place, "You'd better go or you'll be late for your first day!" She smiled with more enthusiasm than the boy, who was called James, was displaying.   
  
"For God's sakes mum, it's just school. I've been to Wizarding preyears since I was six. There's nothing to worry about, mom." The boy snapped her to reality.   
  
"I know, I know. Bye James, I'll see you this Christmas, unless you're having too much fun to come home. Send us post, James!"  
  
"Bye James, I'll see you in June!" His father waved as James ambled on to the train car. Peter took the opportunity to go after him, to see where he would sit. Perhaps he could take his cues from the boy who seemed like a seasoned professional compared to himself.   
  
Trotting behind the boy with messy black hair and glasses, he stayed at a safe distance, trying not to see weird, or crazy. Surely this boy was the social elite of Hogwarts, he thought to himself, and if he was going to be cool, James was the person to be connected to. Peter trailed him into the train car and watched where James walked to, where he turned and what car he appeared to be sitting at. Counting to 15 before following him, Peter picked up his trunk and walked to the back of the train, where the other young Wizard had stopped. Opening the door and looking around, seeing James alone playing Solitaire with a new deck of cards, Peter asked casually, "Hello, Um, in here for me to sit is there room?" He felt like perhaps the wording had been wrong, but it was too late now to change it.   
  
"Nope, s'all full." James replied. Peter, looking downcast and daunted, made for the door. " 'Was only joking! O'course there's room." Peter sat down on the bench near James. Just as he was about to speak, the train car burst open, and a boy with longer black hair and, dare he say it, a pretty smile. He looked like quite the charmer, with his well structured body and his fabulous thick hair. Sitting down next to James, the boy started a conversation loud enough for the whole train to hear.   
  
"James!" The boy practically yelled, his booming voice echoing through the train car, "Where've you been!"  
  
"I was here, and on time, I should be asking you that!" James said with false concern.   
  
"My mum was giving me the "Pure blood is important to wizarding society, and don't you forget that, Sirius," speech again. I swear I'm going to grow up and marry a muggle just to make her angry. Not that I couldn't manage it, I've been beating off the neighborhood girls all summer. Like parasites, those things. I need some repellant or something. I swear, I'm just 11 years old, I'm not ready to commit!"  
  
James laughed at this one, "Sirius, you need to get a smaller head is what you need to get."   
  
"Hey! I like my head the way it is thank you very much." He began checking his head in the window with one eye, will throwing James a dirty look with the rest of his face, "Besides, you're just jealous." He laughed and ran his fingers through his hair posing in a mock-sexy sort of way. Peter couldn't contain his laughter. James' vociferous friend snapped to face the source of the incessant giggles.   
  
"Oi, who's that, James."   
  
"That's some kid who came to sit down in my train car; he's cool."  
  
"What's your name, kid?"   
  
"I'm Peter, I'm Peter Pettigrew." He said meekly in a small mousy voice.   
  
Sirius uttered something under his breath that sounded like, "MENtal."  
  
James chuckled and turned back to the boy. "First year?"  
  
"Yup. My parents aren't Wizards, my mum was a bit reluctant to let me come."  
  
"Muggles, eh? Don't tell my mum." Sirius said simply as James nodded vigorously, "On second thought, DO tell my mum, I'm sure she'd be very excited to hear that I'm "fraternizing with the enemy."' James shook with laughter at Sirius's sarcasm.   
  
"What's a muggle?" Peter asked the boys with a bewildered expression on his face, trying to find any obvious Latin root for the word. Sirius looked taken aback, and glanced at James with furrowed brow looking confused.   
  
"It's a person who's not a wizard…" Sirius replied slowly, his glance shifting back and forth from James to Peter.   
  
"Oh…right. I knew that. Sort of." He gazed at his fate and bit his lower lip. They must have thought he was stupid now. While he was leaning down to pick up his backpack and grab one of the turkey sandwiches his mother packed him, he heard the dork bang open, and what sounded like three large objects falling to the floor. A boy about their age, maybe a little older, had walked into the train car with an armful of books, dropping Quidditch through the ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them, and Basic Magic, 1st edition. He looked worn out and plopped down in a seat across from Sirius, pulling out the Quidditch book. He briefly greeted the others with a generalized, "Hi," and returned to his book. Peter looked at him curiously, and tilted his head to look at the tattered book cover, and the boy who was reading it. He had messy dark brown hair, but longer than James', and mahogany eyes contrasting oddly with the dark purple circles beneath them. Peter's mousy brown hair fell over his eyes and he shook his head vigorously to remove it from his face. Sirius snickered slightly at him, and Peter sunk low into his chair. Kicking his backpack unintentionally with his foot, Peter looked down to see that everything had fallen out of his bag. A copy of "Classic Car" magazine, an old radio, and about half his school books were scattered across the blue carpet. He got off his seat to pick them up, and the bookish looking boy with brown hair put down Quidditch through the Ages and helped him pick up his books. Sirius, however, grabbed up his radio before Peter had a chance to pick it up.   
  
"What's this?" he asked, looking it over for any magical properties.  
  
"It's a radio. That there's a 1969 Ferguson Auto Twin III," He said, beaming with pride.  
  
"Cool, how does it work? What's a radio do?" Sirius asked again.  
  
"It plays music." The boy with brown hair and the large pile of books answered.   
  
"How would you know that, Remus?" Asked Sirius with a puzzled expression.  
  
"I know things."  
  
"You should, I bet you've read the whole muggle dictionary.   
  
"That's not true. I'm only on the G's."  
  
"My condolences, I'm sure."  
  
"Turn it on!" James pleaded, all together a little over excited.   
  
"Ok." Peter turned a series of knobs and dials, turning it to a familiar the station, playing all the latest hits of 1971. A slow steady song started playing, about Music.   
  
I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride but something touched me deep inside, the day, the music, died. So...  
  
  
  
"I LOVE THIS SONG!" Peter yelled, a little over enthusiastic, "Bye Bye Miss American Pie! Drove the Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry, an them good ol' boys were drinkin whiskey and rye singin this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die." He strummed his air guitar enthusiastically and the everyone in the train car, having tried to contain themselves, was rolling on the floor laughing hysterically. Peter blushed furiously, having gotten a little caught up. He could always bust out his air guitar when he was at home with out getting laughed at, mostly because he usually stayed up in his room and played with his model airplanes. He was about to turn tail and leave while they were still laughing, but Sirius grabbed him bye the back of his robes, still trying to calm himself down from his bark-like laughter.   
  
"No, don't…go!" Sirius said panting for air between fits of giggles, "That was….the funniest…thing….I have…ever…seen!"   
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, ha ha, Bye bye miss American pie!"  
  
"Drove the something to the something, something Something was dry!" James joined with overly dramatic dance moves, "hmm hmmm whiskey and rye…saying this'll be the day that I die!" James continued the song as best he could. They started cracking up, and turned the volume on the radio as high as it would go. James continued to sing the lyrics as best he could, which was rather battered, but nonetheless entertaining. As the song was on it's last verse, the doors to the train car burst open to a boy who looked about their age, but looked like he'd been living in a box on 14th street until today. His hair was Black and greasy, his face looked like it had been washed less than his hair, and his great hooked nose didn't make matters any more promising for him. The only bit of him that didn't look like he crawled out of a rubbish tin was his uniform, which was neatly pressed.   
  
"Well, I've discovered the source of the disturbing noises." The greasy boy articulated haughtily.   
  
"Well, I've discovered the source of the disturbing smells." James replied, Sirius and Peter were roaring with laughter. Remus simply smiled and chuckled.   
  
"You don't hear my laughing Potter, jokes are supposed to be funny."  
  
"Who said I was kidding?"  
  
"Har har. What a witty comeback."  
  
"Just shake it off, James. He's just a stupid little kid trying to pick a fight." Remus interjected wisely.   
  
"You're right, Lupin. Just get out of here, kid. Then maybe I won't have to kill you."  
  
"If you don't think you could handle me, I understand. I have been taught all sorts of juicy bits of Dark Magic by my parents, it'd be hard for an amateur blood traitor like yourself."   
  
"I don't think your magic could be any darker than the grease in your hair, that's what has me worried right now."  
  
"Very funny Potter. I've heard of your family. My mom warned me about you Potters. You think you're better than everyone else just because your father is the related to Godric Gryffindor and you live in Godric's Hollow. That doesn't make you better than anyone Potter."  
  
"Oh yeah? My parents have told me about you too. The say where you come from, they haven't yet heard of soap. And apparently, they were right." He retorted, holding his nose with one hand and waving the air around with the other.   
  
"You think you're so funny don't you Potter. So special. But I bet you don't know half the magic I do."  
  
"S'That a threat, Snape?"   
  
"That's a threat."  
  
"Why don't you try it, then? Give it a go?"  
  
"I'd be much obliged." Snape raised his wand in the air, and had barely muttered, "Cr-" when James shouted, "Stupefy!" Snape flew back about 4 feet and landed in a heap next to the wall.   
  
"He's not…dead…is he?" Peter asked, with a hint of concern in his voice.   
  
"Nope. Not dead. It's a pity, too. He'd be so much less of a great little pillock."  
  
"Don't say that!" said Remus. He looked very serious.   
  
"Fine! I'm sorry."  
  
"Much better." He said with a nod. The train stopped only a few minutes later at a great castle. Even the stonewalls were almost enchanting. Peter was so glad his mother had let him come, he just new he would love it here at Hogwarts, with James and Sirius and Remus. TBC 


	3. The New Kids

  
  
Standard disclaimers apply. I still don't own anything, I'm still not married to Orlando Bloom, oh wait you didn't need to know that. I still need reviews, and I'm still open to ideas. If you have any, send them to "harryandthepottersrocksmysockshotmail.com" and no, I don't even own Harry and the Potters, which is a BRILLIANT band, that every person should check out at some point. They're so funny, they're good! Obviously, I also don't own hotmail.com. Not that anyone thought that I did. And if you did, you're kind of slow.   
  
James Exited the Hogwarts express, and looking around, breathing in deeply, and out sharply. Peter trailed behind him, carrying his trunk and his new red backpack that his parents, primarily his mother, had insisted on purchasing for him, lest he forget about them, he assumed. He cradled his radio in his left arm, and took out a small black cloth dipped in surface cleaner, wiping the handle and sides of his radio a bit nervously. He approached the castle, taking a sharp intake of breath, and holding it in his lungs for as long as possible. Maybe, as long as he held his breath, nothing could happen to him, and everything would be perfect. Sirius, however, came from behind and slapped him on the back, knocking the air out of his lungs, and subsequently, out of his mouth. Suddenly, it started pouring down a inundation of rain, and peter whipped out a glen plaid umbrella, and put his radio in his back pack, which had a waterproof coating of plastic on the inside.   
  
"You gon'ta stay outside looking at it all day, our are you going to come?" Sirius asked, turning around and running off somewhere. Peter looked around for what might be taking them the rest of the way up to the castle, and saw a carriage drawn by invisible horses. He started walking towards them, when he saw Remus, who, though not carrying an umbrella seemed completely dry, like the water was just sliding off of him. He ran over and pulled him in the other direction, to a set of boats on the edge of the lake.  
  
"You don't use those 'till second year, mate. We're using the boats." He replied taking Peter by the arm. Peter could have sworn he heard Lupin say, "Honestly, doesn't anyone read Hogwarts, A History?" Peter followed him and joined the other two boys, being directed by a rather large man, who was about 2 times the height of James or Serius, nearly three times James's height, and four times the width. He directed them and a few other students to a small boat near the edge of a dock, about 6 meters (around 15 feet) out into the lake. One of the students was a girl with long brilliant crimson hair who was chatting it up with a large group of students, a girl with cornflower blonde hair and rosy complexion, and a girl with dark hair the color of polished mahogany. The blonde and brown haired girls were the first on the boat, while the pretty girl with red hair and green eyes got on slowly, looking almost as confused as Peter felt. Peter got an urge to help her on to the small vessel, or carry her trunk for her, or help her somehow, but James, always resilient, sprang to his feat to assist the resplendent red head. He walked up to the ship, grabbing the girl's trunk and tossing it on board. Unfortunately, the girl was standing right next to the edge of the boat, looking over the edge while trying to keep her balance, and the force of the trunk hitting the boat shook it violently, knocking the girl into the lake. Peter's eyes grew wide, and he rushed to the boat in a last-ditch attempt to help her up. She emerged from the icy depths a moment later soaked and stuttering in the freezing cold lake water, as a large sea creature shifted one of it's long appendages in her general direction.   
  
"What was that for?!" She exclaimed, looking at James furiously.  
  
"I didn't mean nothing by it, I was trying to help you with your trunks!" James responded, very defensive.   
  
"Next time you help someone, try looking up help in the dictionary, and I'm sure you won't think knocking me in the lake was very helpful."  
  
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO KNOCK YOU IN THE LAKE!"  
  
"WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL!" The girl threw up her hands in the air, and sank back down a good 15 centimeters (6 inches.)"For God's sakes, just help her up!" Sirius exclaimed from the dock. Peter and James lifted her out of the water, just as a gigantic squid grabbed at the area where she had been only moments before. Sirius and Remus got on, and started the boat, which from then on seemed to be able to steer and move itself.   
  
"I'm sorry I knocked you in, but it was an accident! Accidents happen!" James apologized, though nonchalantly.   
  
"But we try to prevent them, don't we?" the girl snapped, whose name, as far as Peter could tell from the blonde girl's screaming, was Lily.  
  
"Well of course we do, but we can't always!"  
  
"You could have prevented that!"  
  
"If I hadn't helped you?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Fine, from this day forward I give my solemn word that, if I ever help you with anything, God may strike me dead."  
  
"Fine, you were never very good at it anyway."  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"FINE!" James yelled, leaving the boat a few minutes later in a huff. They docked it on the other side of the lake, and ran up to the castle. It was a great, tall gray stone castle as tall as Big Ben, the Clocktower, and much wider. He approached the castle slowly, umbrella in one hand, trunk handle in the other, as other students ran behind him to escape the torrential rain. Remus grabbed him by the arm while Peter was busy examining the castle's elegant aged stone framework and the brilliant green lawns, and he rushed him off to meet up with James and Sirius. Sirius muttered something to James again that Peter couldn't quite hear. "I'm telling you James, mental that one. That kid is not right." He walked up to the door, where he and the other first years were greeted by a witch who looked a little older than his parents, but not nearly as old as his grandparents, which red hair in a tight up-do.   
  
"Students, as soon as you walk through these doors, you will be sorted into your houses. Those houses are, "Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff."  
  
"Then do we eat?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Potter, then you eat."  
  
"What's for dinner?"  
  
"Mr. Potter, I'm telling the students something important, and you will soon find out what you will be eating. Please keep your mouth firmly shut until then." She snapped.   
  
"Fine with me, Mrs…"  
  
"Professor McGonnagal," The woman responded firmly, "Now each of you will be sorted into houses, and you will be asked to sit at your house table. You will sit with your houses at every meal, and go to most of your classes with your own house. You will have time between classes and, in third year and after, in Hogsmede to fraternize with the other houses, but…" Peter allowed his mind to wander. He hadn't thought about that, he just kind of figured he could be with James, Sirius and Remus all he wanted. He felt afraid again for the first time since that morning. He had gotten terribly lucky that James, Sirius and Remus had needed a friend like him, someone who wasn't terribly cool who would just listen to them talk about themselves. He didn't think he could be so lucky again. Completely lost in thought, Peter didn't even notice that the students had started to leave until Remus yanked him by the arm into the great hall, saying, "You really must pay more attention, I can't drag you EVERYWHERE, you know."  
  
Peter walked in a straight line as Professor McGonnagal explained the upcoming sorting, and how each was to come up and place the hat on their head, in alphabetical order. As soon as she was done explaining, the stitch in the hat opened up and began to sing.   
  
"4 houses stand divided  
  
brother against brother  
  
two friends are undecided  
  
as to be friends with one another  
  
But houses aren't to separate  
  
Houses are to sort  
  
Add a little order here  
  
And make for teams to sport  
  
So Ravenclaw and Gryffindor  
  
Put down your righteous swords  
  
And Slytherin and Hufflepuff  
  
Be free to fight no more  
  
For strengths and weakness hath you all  
  
And trials and struggles befall you  
  
We must rejoice together,   
  
Or in separation we will fall, too.   
  
So contemplate my words, young lad,   
  
As you slip me on your head  
  
Don't think about the negatives  
  
The positives instead  
  
For a time will come for all of you  
  
A time of endless night  
  
And if you stand together  
  
You can win a losing fight  
  
Don't worry now about your fate  
  
I didn't mean it to be scary  
  
But befriend your housal rivals  
  
Or of strife you must be wary."  
  
All of the students in the great hall looked at each other with strange expressions on their faces, "What was he talking about?" Peter heard at least one boy mutter. But then an eruption of applause came from the students.  
  
"Let the sorting commence, then!" A wise gray wizard shouted from the end of a long dining table Peter presumed to be where the staff sat.   
  
"Aarden, John." McGonnagal called out. The hat shifted around, muttering to the student, who didn't seem to be saying anything. But after a moment of deciphering, the hat called out an answer.   
  
"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted, John ran blushing to the Ravenclaw table, which was full of clapping and shouting students.   
  
"Abner, Julian."  
  
"Hufflepuff!"  
  
"Adder, Bill"  
  
"Slytherin."  
  
"Ashton, Gregory."  
  
"Ravenclaw!" This went on for a short time longer, when Professor McGonnagal finally got past the A's.   
  
"Black, Sirius." Peter looked wide-eyed at Sirius watching his every move. He put the hat on his head, when it promptly said something that seemed to make Sirius enraged. Something about "Runs in the blood." Sirius retorted with a loud and angry swear word that Peter was sure HE wouldn't have been allowed to say at home, followed by some mutterings about how "blood doesn't mean anything!" The hat chuckled merrily and shouted loudly, "Gryffindor!" Sirius looked smugly at the table of hooting and hollering Gryffindors, cheering the arrival of another new Gryffindor. Sirius ran his fingers through his hair and smiled at a pretty blonde girl, but sat at the end of the table leaving room for James, Remus, and maybe even Peter, just in case. After a little while, Peter became so bored of waiting, that he was almost not even nervous. That was, until she called her name.   
  
"Evans, Lilly." Professor McGonnagal yelled over the crowd. The girl with the radiant burgundy hair slowly approached the hat, and Peter's heart was in his throat. He looked at James, and James seemed looked at her angrily, but Peter knew it was just a façade. James wasn't very good at lying about how he felt about someone, his eye brows went up a little too much in the center and dipped at the ends, and his mouth curled ever so slightly into an innocent smile. Though he tried to look angry and squinted his eyes and tried to force his lips to curl the other way, Peter could see that, unfortunately, James felt the same way about Lilly that he did.   
  
Lily walked shyly but gracefully up to the stool, and put the hat on her head. She closed her eyes tightly and bit her lower lip as the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" She bounced up and down happily glancing at the joyfully cheering Gyffindor table, and found a seat next to a group of Gryffindor girls who began to chat merrily with her. Peter suddenly felt compelled to follow her to the table, taking a step in her direction. He tried to take another step, but he felt his robes being pulled, and then they suddenly ripped. He fell backwards onto his behind, disrupting the sorting ceremony. He had hooked his robes on a low placed wall sconce, and the entire Great hall seemed to ring with laughter. Lilly looked at him with compassion, and Remus and James helped him up, James giggling under his breath.  
  
"Quiet down!" Professor McGonnagal shouted, "Making fun of the first years who get stuck to the walls is hardly a valuable exertion of energy. Let us continue. Harding, Harold." Moments later, "Lupin, Remus" was called. The sorting hat deliberated for a long time over what to do with Remus. He seemed to be deciding between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Finally giving into Remus' longing looks at the Gryffindor table, the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" and progressed with the service.  
  
Just as Peter was getting comfortable, Professor McGonnagal shouted loudly, "Pettigrew, Peter." He gulped, his adam's apple bulging in his dry throat. Moving to sit on the stool, he pulled the huge black hat over his ears, and took a deep breath.   
  
"Gryffindor, please Gryffindor…" Pete thought, throwing longing looks in their general direction.  
  
"Gryffindor, eh? Why Gryffindor." The hat muttered back.   
  
"Because," Peter said, alarmed that he was talking to a hat, "My friends are in Gryffindor."  
  
"I don't know, you seem more like a HUFFLEPUFF to me."  
  
"No, I'm not a Hufflepuff! I'm mean…umm…grrrr…and I'm brave….I'm like…a lion, see? Mean, and brave."  
  
"HA! You are no lion, you're more like the mouse."  
  
"But the mouse helped the Lion, remember? So the mouse must have been brave too."  
  
"Maybe….I do see something else in you, back here in this corner of your mind."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I see cowardice, but there is an ounce of courage and selfish ambition in the very back of your mind."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And that's a Slytherin quality."  
  
"And when you average Hufflepuff with Slytherin, you get… Gryffindor!"  
  
"Well, Gryffindor might be good for you, and I can see some courage in you, deep down waiting to surface. You just have to tame the beast, Peter."  
  
"Ok…" Peter looked a little confused, that sounded like such a weird thing to say. Tame the beast? What beast, courage and strength and desire and drive were all GOOD things! But if he was courageous, he was courageous, and courageous people belong in…  
  
"Gryffindor!" Peter was beaming with pride as he joined the Gryffindor table next to a surprised and clapping Sirius and Remus. James Potter was also sorted, almost effortlessly, into Gryffindor right after Peter, and a few minutes later, the greasy haired boy who had visited their train car, "Snape, Severus," was sorted into Slytherin.   
  
"How odd that he would be in Slytherin!" James snapped sardonically.  
  
"Give it a rest, James, honestly!" Said Lupin, sleepily. A few minutes later, after "Zacherby, Anne," and "Ravenclaw!" The wise man with graying hair rose to address the crowd.   
  
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and wizardry. Mr. Girbings would like to remind you that Biting boomerangs are strictly banned at Hogwarts, and all of their variations. He would also like to inform you that the newly planted Whomping willow is strictly off limits to students who do not wish to be pummeled to death. As you know, unless you are a first year, the forbidden forest, as its name would imply, is just that, strictly forbidden with out adult accompaniment. Is that all, Professor McGonnagal?" she nodded. "Then let the feast begin!" the empty dishes filled with all kinds of delicious foods. Kidney pies, mashed potatoes, pumpkin juice, and many foods that Peter wasn't entirely familiar with were in mounds before him.   
  
"So that's what's for dinner!" James yelled gleefully, "Everything!" Peter spooned liberal portions onto his plate and began eating fervently. There was nothing to worry about now, except Lilly, that is....TBC 


	4. Goognight 'til it be Morrow

-  
Sorry it's been ages, I couldn't decide whether to age him up a bit, or not. I'll save that for next chapter, so all those of you enjoying little Peter, Sorry. Well, I'll update as soon as I can, but that may or may not be very soon. Sorry that it's short, plese review.  
  
Standard disclaimers apply, or did you think I bought out JK Rowling in the last 2 weeks?

Good Night, and Good Morrow.   
  
-----  
  
Peter got up from the table and walked around the hall to the exit, or the entrance, depending on which way you were going. He suddenly realized, however, that he had no idea where he was going. Seeing an older boy with Black robes with a red lion patch who was rounding up the first years, he ran over and followed him up to the dorms. They walked up the first flight of stairs, when suddenly it changed directions! Peter's eyes grew wide as he dug his fingernails in the banister, as if afraid to fall off the stairs. He slowly let go of the Polished wood railing and relaxed his strained eyelids. Pausing for a moment to test if the stairs were going to spin around again, He slowly walked up the stairs along with all of the rest of the students, winding around corriders to a portrait of a large woman decked out in pink, which made her look even larger.   
  
"Password!" the overlarge woman in pink said."  
  
"Facta non verba." Said the older boy, expectantly looking at the portrait. She waved her hand and bowed them, as the portrait swung open. They walked in a few steps, and came on to a grand room with high ceilings, brilliant red velvety couches lined with gold piping, and two identical crackling fire places.   
  
"Wicked…." He heard someone, perhaps James or Sirius, say.   
  
"This is the Gryffindor Common Room, both girls and boys of all years are allowed to be in here, and to the left are the dormitories, Boys are not allowed in the girls dormitories, and vice versa. However, precautionary measures have been taken in preventing boys from getting into girls dormitories. The older boy, who he had heard Remus tell someone was the Head Boy with a trying line about "Hogwarts, a History," said with a slight smile.   
  
"Damn it, we'll never get anything past a guy who thinks it's funny that guys aren't allowed in girls' dorms." Sirius said to James, who gave a slight laugh, but not too loudly a to not disturb the "Stick in the mud."  
  
"I don't know, with you here Sirius, I'd be more worried about girls sneeking into GUYS' dormitories." James replied, looking semi serious while Sirius made a gagging face.   
  
"It's that Black Family charm. Both a blessing, and a curse." Sirius said with a shrug, while James continued to laugh mirthfully.   
  
"I wish someone would curse ME then!" James replied, still laughing histerically  
  
"I'll hex you if you like!" Sirius brandished his wand, and started jumping around like Zorro, a character from one of Peter's favorite childhood television series.   
  
"No, I think if I wanted ANYONE to hex me, I'd have Lupin do it, because he'd at least get the hex right."  
  
"That hurts, James."  
  
"It should." James stuck his tongue out at Sirius and then stared at him silently for a moment before bursting out into a very raucous fit of laughter. The Head Boy turned to look at them, and stiffened.   
  
"I would expect more of a concern for school rules from a Black." He said looking down on Sirius from the bottom of his eyes.   
  
"Well I'd expect more of a concern for a black eye if I were you." Sirius muttered under his breath, and Peter was surprised by his disrespect.  
  
"What was that?" Said the Head Boy, nose in the air.  
  
"Oh, It was nothing!" He replied cheerfully, but adding in a much softer undertone, "you great pillock."  
  
"Detention, Mr. Black."  
  
"You can't give me detention!"  
  
"Actually, as Head Boy, I can give you detention."  
  
"Lousy git." Sirius muttered to James before turning to Remus and Peter.  
  
"You kind of deserved it, mate." Remus said, shrugging at Sirius.   
  
"But isn't it only the teachers who can give detentions?" Peter asked, joining the conversation.  
  
"Nope, he just said the prefects and the Head Students can do it too, but only teachers can deduct house points."  
  
"House points?"  
  
"Weren't you listening? Dumbledore said something about it right after the feast. They're like, points you can get when you do well, and you can lose them when you break the rules."  
  
"Oh. Did he deduct any house points?"  
  
"No, Peter, he CAN'T deduct house points, because he's not a teacher, got it?"  
  
"Got it." Peter replied, feeling a little bit stupid.   
  
Remus, Sirius, and James ran up stairs to the boys dormitory, claiming the first three beds for themselves, James in the bed more towards the middle of the wall, and Remus and Sirius on either end, and Peter chose the bed near Remus, who was the most patient with him. It was getting late, so Peter changed into his pajamas, brushed his teeth, and got into bed, and was kept up quite late by Sirius and James playing some variant of "flash light tag" with their wand tips, probably the only spell Remus had bothered to teach them. Then, of course, Remus put a stop to the fun, because he was eager to get to his studies tomorrow morning refreshed and ready. Peter turned on his radio, which wasn't properly working because it was Hogwarts grounds after all, and it produced a steady stream of static, lulling him to sleep. 


	5. Ugh, Girls

Obviously, I haven't bought rights to Harry Potter in the last few weeks. Duh. Sorry I haven't updated, AP exams and other Finals.

* * *

It was a fine Autumn day, and Sirius, James and Peter were sitting on the green by tall tree with low branches. James was sitting on the lowest branch of the tree, slouching down with his foot dangling over, scraping the dirt of the ground. Sirius was 2 branches higher and about a meter away from James, feet propped up against another branch that was sprouting from that one, while Remus and Peter sat on the ground, propped up against the tree. Remus was working on a Potions essay, and harassing James, Peter and Sirius to finish with theirs, or at least start it. Peter was fiddling with his remembral, rolling it around in his hands, perhaps tossing it a few centimeters up in the air then catching it, and eating a big box of "Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans" one jelly bean at a time. He picked up a whitish-green one and put it on top of his tongue, waiting for it to dissolve, and then he noticed a putrid taste in his mouth. Onion flavor. Peter made a funny face, flinching and blinking with his right eye, while curling his nose, as his mouth scrunched up, before he spit out the bean. James saw the face that Peter was making, and laughed.   
  
"Pick a winner, Wormtail?" James said, between laughs.   
  
"Onion flavor!" Peter replied sticking his tongue out then shaking his head furiously, his mousy brown hair in his watery eyes.   
  
"Peter, you should really take up a new candy, you always seem to get the worst ones."   
  
"Well, this one looks good," Peter said, picking up a red one, "probably cherry, or maybe strawberry." Peter popped the bean into his mouth, made another awful face, eyes wide as he sucked in his lips, and spit the bean 2 meters, "Ewwww….Jalapeno flavored!"  
  
"I thought Jalapenos were green." James said, looked at the box reproachfully. Peter shrugged, taking a big swig from a water bottle and wiping his mouth of on his shirtsleeve. Sirius and Remus however, were unconcerned with Peter's bean dilemma, as they both had concerns of their own. Or at least, Remus did, he had finished his potions essay, "There, it's perfect!" and had moved on to some History of Magic reading. Sirius, however, was transfixed by something else off in the distance.   
  
Then Peter realized what had captured Sirius' immediate attention: A girl with sort of frizzy dirty blonde hair and dark blue eyes beneath two nicely shaped brown eyebrows, sat on a low brick wall near an oak tree. Her complexion was mostly clear, and she wore her Hogwarts uniform, with the shirt completely un-tucked, and one dark gray knit sock pulled up 3 or 4 centimeters higher than the other. She had pale red finger nail polish on her nails, which had chipped off at the edges. Peter was fairly sure it had not been a professional job; perhaps a friend had done them for her. She wore a Ravenclaw scarf, and neither Peter nor Sirius has ever seen her before. She was reading something she obviously found very comical, because her eyes were streaming with tears of mirth. Peter watched as Sirius walked in her general direction and leaned against a brick wall, trying his best to look delightfully unconcerned.   
  
The girl came to a very funny part of her text, and bent very far over, sending the book out of her lap and onto the ground. Sirius saw the book fall a few feet in front of him, and walked over to pick it up. The name on the inside cover was Whitney Grace Miller.   
  
"Oops," she said laughing at her own mistake, "Thanks." She took the book from Sirius hands, and their eyes met for a moment before she looked away and chortled softly, shaking her mostly straight blonde hair a little.   
  
"What are you reading?" Sirius asked, running his hand through his long shaggy black hair, without really thinking about it. His voice was very smooth, and for some reason, it reminded Peter of Strawberry yogurt.   
  
"Oh, it's just a muggle fiction book about magic that I bought in London." She said, blushing slightly.  
  
"Is it any good?" he asked, coolly interested in what she had to say."  
  
"No, but it's funny." She laughed at herself again.  
  
"So, what's your name?"  
  
"Whitney Grace, but mostly people just call me Grace really. Kind of ironic, actually."  
  
"Of course not," Sirius said with a chuckle, "what are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sure that my dropping my book was smooth."  
  
"I guess not." He laughed, as she blushed crimson. Peter watched animatedly. Sirius was the least trustworthy of all of the Marauders, but girls found him the easiest to trust, mostly because of his deep brown eyes, and because he was the ideal of male beauty. Strange really, because Remus was probably the most loyal, and he was the least interesting to most of the Hogwarts females. Of course, Peter was of even lower female interest than Remus. But it was okay with him, there was really only one person who held his interest, and that was Lily. Not that he held her interest. She didn't hate him like she supposedly hated James, but she was completely unconcerned with him. She probably liked Sirius, maybe Remus, but not him, and, at the present time, DEFINITELY not James. He continued to watch Sirius' smooth charm, and wished deeply that he held such a power over the female gender. Or at least his height, lightly tanned skin, medium length dark brown hair and deep chocolate eyes.  
  
"So, what are you doing tomorrow?" Sirius asked her, while he leaned against the wall with his hair dangling dangerously in his face.  
  
"Group review for my History of Magic Test." She smiled at him apologetically, somewhat regretting her answer.   
  
"Maybe I should go, I'm failing." Said Sirius, laughing.   
  
"Then maybe you should!" she laughed too, "It's going to be mostly Ravenclaws there, so you probably won't know many people."  
  
"Well, I'll know you! Maybe I'll learn enough about the German Empire to pass the test."  
  
"Um…Sirius, it's a test about wizardry during the Roman Empire."  
  
"Then I'm screwed, but I'll probably come anyway."  
  
"Cool." She said, obviously at a loss for words. After all, the most sought after man at Hogwarts had not only approached her, an average Ravenclaw girl, but he was making an honest effort to spend time with her. "So, I'll see you after breakfast tomorrow? We're meeting on the lawns."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Sirius said, grinning at the brainy blonde, "So, anyone from Gryffindor coming?"  
  
"Oh, some random girl named Lila, or something," She said, shrugging, "She sits next to my friend, Emma, during History of Magic."  
  
"Lily, maybe?" asked Sirius, Peter's heart sped, if Lily was their, he wanted to come. He was thought maybe that, if he thought it hard enough, Sirius would ask him to come.  
  
"Ask me! Ask me to come!" He thought, biting his lower lip and straining his face, as thought it would make any difference.   
  
"You know, I might have a friend who would be interested, if that's the case…" Sirius said, thinking about.   
  
"Ask me! Ask me!" Peter screwed up his face and held his breath.  
  
"Yep, My friend…James would love to come." Peter deflated, and his heart sunk, "he could always use a little History of Magic help. And some Lily help."  
  
"Does he like her, or something?"  
  
"Does he LIKE her?" Sirius burst out into a bark-like laugh, "Only since 1st year when he knocked her off a boat."  
  
"He did WHAT?" Asked Grace, confused by Sirius's explanation. Sirius proceeded to explain what had happened in first year, laughing at the funny bits. Peter took a deep breath, and stopped listening for now.   
  
About 20 minutes later, Sirius came back, climbing the branches of the tree, and collapsing on a branch near James, his head in the dense foliage.   
  
"Hey James, I've got us a date Tomorrow." Sirius broke the silence, and Peter turned an ear to listen.  
  
"Sirius, I'm not interested in dating you." James said with a snicker.  
  
"Not me, you poofter, I've got me a date with Grace, and YOU a date with Lily.   
  
"All right! How'd you manage that?"  
  
"She doesn't know." Sirius replied with a shrug.  
  
"What do you mean, 'she doesn't know'?" he was rather confused by what he had said.   
  
"I mean she doesn't know. There's a big study session for the History of Magic Exam."  
  
"Oh, right!" James gave Sirius the thumbs up, "But they're be plenty of time afterwards for us to go our separate ways, right?"  
  
"Only reason I decided to come." Sirius raised his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
"But who was that girl you were talking to, she's quite a looker."  
  
"Oh, Grace? Yeah, she's a Ravenclaw, so she's got the brains, AND the looks. She's going to be much harder to get her to warm up to me though, but I've never said I didn't like a challenge."  
  
"You talk about Women like they're cattle or something, Sirius!" Remus replied, somewhat indignantly, "You'd shag the Chief Vestal Virgins if you got the opportunity." Sirius, James and Peter all gave him a confused look, sitting in silence. "Sorry, History of Magic review." He said, showing them the cover of the book, which read "Government of the Roman Empire, a Magical Perspective."  
  
"Well, anyway, it's tomorrow right after breakfast." Sirius said, ignoring what Remus had just interjected.   
  
"Breakfast? But it's a Saturday, I was planning on sleeping in!"  
  
"Tough luck mate, it's either sleep or Lily, you got to decide now what your priorities are. Sleep, or girls."  
  
"Well, I guess in this instance I'm going to go with Lily. Sleep will have to wait."  
  
"Wouldn't it be counterproductive to wait to go to sleep if you're going to get up early?" Lupin asked, shrugging.  
  
"I guess you're right, and me with a divination star chart to finish. I'd better start it." James pulled out some parchment and got to work, while Peter continued to toss around his remembral, taking short homework breaks, or talking to Remus or James. He wanted to go to that review and see Lily tomorrow; he doubted he would be so forward. But right now, he really needed to finish his divinations work so the old bat who taught divination wouldn't try to give him "morning detention" or something.   
  
Maybe tomorrow would be a better day, and a better chance for him and Lily, but he doubted it. He never really got any closer to her, and she seemed always so far off and unattainable. Especially because James liked her, and even though she hated him, Peter always knew that there was a fine line between love and hate, especially if the hate had no real foundation. James probably had a better chance with Lily than he did simply because they HAD a history. And it didn't help much that James was insanely attractive. As chaser of the Quidditch team and all around popular guy, James was well sought after by the young female population of Hogwarts. He, Peter, had few redeeming qualities. He was small for his age with mousy brown hair and watery eyes, and he was very shy, and clingy. James was loud and fast and outgoing and fun, and fairly obnoxious at times. But there was always a chance for him, no matter how miniscule, and tomorrow was another day, with an immediately looming opportunity for him to win her affections. Or at least, it could happen, right?


	6. Falling for You

I'm really sorry it's been so long since I updated! Ever since school ended, I don't have my friend Whit2fargone harassing me to finsih my stories. I miss you whit! Haha. I have had this done for over a week but never felt like posting, but today you're in luck. Enjoy!  
  
CHAPTER 5: Falling for You.  
  
Peter, Remus, James and Sirius slowly made their way up to the castle, while Remus silently fumed that, despite his prodding, Sirius had not even begun his Potions essay.   
  
"Who cares about Potions, honestly, I'll do it tomorrow. Get Grace to help me with it, or something." Sirius had said after Remus reminded him once again that, now would be as good a time as any to get his homework finished, because they weren't really DOING anything. They walked up to the castle, and were stepping inside the doors when Peter saw her. Her red hair was blowing in the wind, shining brightly, like a mandorla around her fair face, and her green eyes flashed, the light from the brilliant mid day sun reflected in her corneas, causing her eyes to appear even brighter, and more beautiful than normal. She noticed them standing there, and flashed one of them a smile. Peter, being a tad presumptuous, thought that she was looking at him. As the others started filing through the door, Peter stepped back for just a moment.   
  
"Hi, Lily." He said, walking slowly into the castle and showing her a wide silly grin. She gave a kind half smile back before replying.   
  
"Oh, Hello Parker!" She said cheerfully, walking down the steps towards the lawn, where a small group of students sat with Arithmancy text books in their laps. She smiled and turned to face the group, then continued walking. Oh, THAT was promising. She had gotten his name wrong. Again. Would he ever learn? No, that lovely Lily Evans was way out of his league. Sure, he was in the most popular group of boys at Hogwarts, but he was really just…there. The other boys would talk to him…sometimes. But he didn't really get the recognition the other boys received. He wasn't on the Quidditch team, he didn't have black hair and brilliant eyes, he wasn't the top student, and he certainly wasn't any sort of traditional "cool." He was an animagus, but he didn't really belong to any school groups, and well, his form was a rat, and girls don't dig rats. Well, he was in one school group, he supposed; He was treasurer of the charms club. Though this DID look good on a resume, it wasn't the kind of thing one would mention on a date and receive a "Wow!" response. Not like Quidditch. Harry had girls hanging all over him, because he was the star chaser on the Quidditch team. Sirius was also on the team, a beater, and received similar hero worship, though girls had been hanging all over him since long before then. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, and everyone knew it. Especially Sirius. But in reality, he had not had as many girlfriends as one might have expected. Sirius knew that he could have anyone he wanted, and did not want to come off as looking "desperate" by hooking up with the entire student body. But when he did like someone, winning them over was never really an obstacle. He had had 5 or 6 girlfriends at most every year since 3rd or 4th year, the longest lasting a few months. Harry was probably a close second on the scale of desirable males at Hogwarts, after Sirius. He had not had many girlfriends at all, 3 or 4 in 4th year before setting his sights on Lily Evans more fervently, at which time he became mostly celibate. Though, between then and now, he had perhaps one or two relationships, but neither had lasted more than a few weeks before James began harassing Lily again. Peter wasn't sure how many times James had asked Lily out, he had lost count at 57, but that was a long time ago. Remus was next. Though, there was quite a big gap between Remus and James. Remus was quite bookish, and received top marks in all his classes. Few girls showed a real interest in him as a potential boyfriend, but at least most of them knew his name. Peter wasn't sure that Remus had a girlfriend the whole time he knew him. There had been an occasional mutual attraction, but Remus never decided to do anything about it.   
  
Peter, however, was at the bottom of the proverbial list. He was short, and a little bit stocky. His father had been tall and a bit broad, and his mother had been short and thin. But in truth, peter had not figured on getting suck a dreadful combination of genes as he had, short and broad.  
  
"You'll grow Peter, don't worry. Look at me, and your uncle, and your grandfather! I'm sure you're just running late. You're a little younger than some of those boys at your school anyway." His father tried to reassure him whenever he got down on himself about his size. And if that didn't work, his mother would make a batch of cookies, and tell him, "Maybe if you'd gone to a normal school, you'd be taller like your father. HE went to a normal school." Which really didn't make any sense, but magic was, of course, the cause of everything unpleasant in their household.   
  
Peter followed Sirius, James and Remus into the Gryffindor common room, and sat on a tall armchair. James and Sirius had finally taken Remus suggestion, and had begun their potions essays, but were interrupting Remus from his musings every few minutes to ask him "Where murtlap essence comes from" and "How many Knarl hooves are in a Perk Up Potion." He could really use a perk up potion, Peter thought to himself. Bad moods were no stranger to Peter, but usually, he hid them from his friends as being "boring" and "uninterested," because being bored and uninterested was incredibly cool. Hey, it worked for Sirius. Sirius was running his hand through his hair, and sitting by the fire with a thin white button down shirt on, with the first 5 or 6 buttons undone, and his black Hogwarts pants. A group of giggling 4th year girls stopped in the stair way, staring and whispering at Sirius, who mouthed "WHAT?" and gave them a harsh look. The girls looked surprised, and ran into their dormitory, giggling louder than ever. Peter heard one girl say, "He looked at me! Mary, did you see it? I can't believe he looked at me! I have to tell Susan about this; she'll be SO jealous!" Sirius muttered something along the lines of, "Ugh, Girls…" before returning to his potions essay, and asking Remus what kind of animal produced "Haldorf." A few hours later, after they had eaten dinner and finished most of their homework, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter went up to bed. He checked his watch, and it was about 10:30, the others would have plenty of time to get up in the morning and "study."   
  
"You know, maybe I'll come with you to that group review," Remus said, throwing down his large history of magic book, "This Roman Empire material is really complicated, and studying with the Ravenclaws would be a great opportunity to-"  
  
"Snag a smart girl!" Sirius interjected, thinking about his new prospects with Grave.  
  
"Actually, I was going to say, 'study with some of the smartest people at Hogwarts," Remus gave Sirius a look of frustration, and Sirius shrugged, half grinning.   
  
"Well, if all of you are going, then I'd like to come! What is it?" Peter chirped enthusiastically.  
  
"Oh, Peter, you can't come, it's tomorrow morning at the same time as your Charms Club meeting." James replied in a whiny, sing-song kind of voice. Peter nodded, defeated. James was right, it was the same time as his important charms club meeting.   
  
"Well, I have some prefect duties to attend to." Remus announced, "I'll be back soon."   
  
"What do you have to do at this hour of the night?" James asked, looking surprised.  
  
"Make sure the younger students are in their beds." Remus shrugged.  
  
"Why do you have to do that? You've never had to before." James looked quizzical and Sirius seemed to be in as deep of thought as he was capable of being in.   
  
"Well, apparently some younger students have uh, been sneaking around lately. It's all quite a big to do." Remus blurted quickly, as Sirius was still thinking it through, as if it were a particularly hard transfiguration problem. Remus gave them an uneasy look, Smiled at James, but his smile quickly became an unusual sort of frown, and he turned and left the room, heading in the direction of the girls dormitories.   
  
"Remus is the only one of us who doesn't care about girls, and he's the only one who gets to go into their dormitories like it's nothing!" James said, indignant, while Peter and Sirius nodded. Peter knew that James wanted to go into the girls dormitory so he could find Lily, sweep her off her feet, make out passionately, and eventually get married and produce offspring. Sooth to say, Peter would have very much liked to do the same, though he liked to hope that he would do it more subtly, and with a bit more tact than James.   
  
Peter turned to Sirius to say something, but Sirius was now sprawled out on his four poster bed, potions essay under his right arm, papers crinkled and askew. Only Sirius could fall asleep that quickly. Peter's mother always said that it was people with a clear conscience who could fall asleep most easily, though in Sirius case, Peter was almost sure that his conscience had nothing to do with it. Unless, perhaps, his conscience was clear because Sirius didn't think to feel bad about all of the crazy things he'd done. James looked around the room, huffed slightly under his breath, and sat on his bad, leaning back onto the pillows, while Peter dipped his quill in some black ink to finish writing up his essay. About 30 minutes later, at 11:10, Remus returned, yawning, and grinning slightly.   
  
"What are you happy about?" James said a bit snappily, "See any girls in their skivvies when you checked on them?"  
  
"No, not at all!" Remus said, laughing slightly. "I just….love to help…Dumbledore. Of course!"  
  
"Whatever floats your boat, mate." James said, shrugging as he went to brush his teach and come his hair. Though, Peter and he both couldn't figure out why he still decided to give it a go almost every day. Peter slinked back in his armchair, and blinked. For a very long time.   
  
The next morning, James, Remus and Sirius got dressed, packed their book bags and went to breakfast quickly, leaving Peter behind in the dorm. He rounded up his charms papers, and searched for the collection tin, finding it under a large stack of papers about the Goblin uprisings in Colonial America during English occupation. Today was a big day for the Charms Club; with the cooperation of the house elves, Charms Club was having a sort of "Bake Sale" to raise funds for new Charms books. After Peter zipped through breakfast, he ran to the Kitchens with the help of a few students, and got a large array of sweets and rolls. They decided to set up their stand outside, and, at the suggestion of Peter, set it up very close to the History of Magic review group, so more people would buy sweets as they became hungry from studying.   
  
Peter had originally volunteered to work the stand, but because Joseph Abbot, a 5th year Hufflepuff, had offered to take over, Peter decided to be the head of the marketing department, and go ask his friends if they wanted anything. He trotted over to James and Sirius, Remus was standing behind near Lily and some Ravenclaws, and waved vigorously.   
  
"What is it Peter, is everything all right? Why aren't you at your charms club meeting?" James asked, noticing his smallest friend.   
  
"No, not at all! We're just um…having a bake sale for Charms, and I was wondering if you wanted anything. You know, like a roll or a cake or something." Peter finished smiling at them.  
  
"Um..yes." Sirius replied matter-of-factly.   
  
"Yes to what? Which do you want?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"Both?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"Well, what kind of cake? We've got chocolate cake, and carrot cake." Peter tried to narrow it down a bit.  
  
"Both."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Ok, that'll be…about 10 sickles."  
  
"James, can you get this one?" Sirius asked, turning to James.   
  
"Sirius, this is YOUR food, why would I pay for it?"  
  
"Because you love me and you know I left my money upstairs."  
  
"Fine. But you're paying me back." James said, rolling his eyes at Sirius and digging through his robes for the money, handing it to Peter.  
  
"So…get it!" Sirius said, rather impatient with Peter.  
  
"That was kind of rude, Sirius." James interjected rather coolly as Peter ran off to get their food, and put the money in his rusty blue collection tin. Peter traipsed back over gleefully, and stood by a tree watching the others set up, having given Sirius his food. There she was, Lily Evans in all her radiant splendor, walking towards him. What would he say? Her brilliant red hair flew in the wind, like a cape of silk fibers trailing her soft ivory face.   
  
"Hello, Lil-" Peter began, but Lily walked right past him, not even noticing that he had tried to talk to her, or say her name. "Foiled again." Peter thought to himself. Sure, he had little chance with the flaming haired vixen, but a boy could try! Peter knew what she'd have said if she had heard him call her a vixen, someone had tried it earlier that year.  
  
"A vixen? Hah! Calling me a vixen is like…is like…calling SIRIUS a VIRGIN!" She had almost shouted. Sirius just stood there, mouth agape, looking completely appalled.   
  
"If Sirius where coherent, he'd say something along the lines of, "how would you know that?" James replied for his friend, who was just now beginning to gain composure.  
  
"Well, it's obvious isn't it? Sirius hasn't been celibate since like, 3rd year." Sirius was taken aback by the fact that she thought this; the truth couldn't be more different. "Hey, don't tell me about my sex life until you've been in the bed, Miss Evans." Sirius replied sharply, with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
"Now there's a mental picture I could have done without." Lily shuddered involuntarily after saying this.  
  
"There's a mental picture we could ALL do without." Said James, giving Sirius a strange look. Lily had stormed off, not feeling like a fight. She could be a little feisty, but she knew when to drop something.   
  
The students gathered in a circle by a tree, with a 6th year Ravenclaw boy at the head of the group. Sirius was sitting next to his new girlfriend, Grace, holding her left hand in his right, as she leaned on his shoulder a bit. Peter sat in the background for a moment, but as the Ravenclaw boy started talking, Peter went back over to the booth, and put a couple of dollars in the collection tin from other people's orders.   
  
Peter stood by the stand leaning on the table and watching Lily. She was taking notes with a quill that wrote by itself, and reading the History of Magic Text book at the same time. She looked so cute when she was studying. Well, in Peter's opinion, that could be applied to almost anything Lily was doing. His gaze wandered around the group, stopping at Sirius, who had his arm wrapped around Grace, with his hand gracing her back. She swatted at his hand when his fingers inched a little too low on her back, but laughed at the confused and almost hurt look on his face. Peter leaned over the counter, forgetting that he was supposed to be working the stand and gaping at Lily with a goofy expression on his face, eyes glazed.   
  
They were in the Gryffindor common room, Peter had set a lovely spread, with assorted meat pies, iced tea, it was Lily's favorite, scalloped potatoes, salad greens, and a lemon meringue pie Peter made. The fire crackled and rolled in its furnace as it incinerated the cedar logs, leaving the room pleasantly warm like the ivory sand on the beach when the orange sun sinks down over the water. Her eyes, green as Irish shamrocks, glistened like polished silver reflecting the firelight in her emerald iris.   
  
"Peter, I know I've never told you this but, I can't live without you." Lily said, grabbing his hand across the table.   
  
"Oh Lily, I can't live without you either! Marry me, Lily!" Peter jumped to his feet, brandishing a scintillating ring with diamonds to rival the Queen's jewels. Slipping it onto her dainty polished finger, he saw a tear trickle down her cheek, as she turned to look at him.  
  
"Oh, Peter! Of course I'll marry you!" She ran to him, jumping into his arms, he was locked in her soft embrace, picking her up into his arms and kissing her pink lips.   
  
"Oh Peter." She said sweetly as she kissing him.  
  
"Oh, Lily." He replied, kissing her lips and touching her cheek with his fingertips.  
  
"Peter."  
  
"Lily."  
  
"Peter!"  
  
"Lily!"  
  
"Peter!!!"  
  
"Lily!!!"  
  
"PETER!!!!" Peter snapped out of his romantic dream sequence when a 7th year Ravenclaw girl smacked him on the back of the head with the pad of her hand. "What are you doing? You're supposed to run the register, or get people to buy stuff! Don't you care about the Charms Club? We need knew books, Peter, and I'd like to see them before I graduate!" She gave him an angry look, but left when Peter promised to get back to work.   
  
"Everyone's always telling me what to do. It's not like anyone's buying anything anyway. It's not MY fault they decided to have this in the morning when no one's hungry. We should sell them during Transfigurations in Professor McGonnagal's classroom, we'd have LOADS of sales then." Peter fumed watching the rest of his friend studying. James was scratching a hole in his head and trying to make notes on things that sounded important, while making googly eyes at Lily, who kept rolling her eyes at him. Sirius was writing notes to Grace who was trying to pay attention to what the group leader was saying, but Sirius was making the task very difficult. He was bored with studying and was trying very hard to make sure that Grace was entertained, rather than enlightened. Remus however, was genuinely participating in the lesson. He was taking extensive notes on a 3 yard long piece of parchment, and was already more than halfway down it. However, Peter noticed that Remus had an unusual smile on his face, that was kind of like his "I know something that you don't" smile, but a little bit different. Peter leaned a little further over the counter to decipher what it was, but before he got the chance, there was a loud crashing sound, and he felt himself being disassociated from the ground.   
  
He had leaned over so far that the cart had fallen over, sending the money box, some of the sweets, and Peter to the floor. Looking around, he saw most of the study group had been disturbed, and many of them were laughing. Even Sirius and James were chuckling gleefully. But not Lily, she looked concerned as she tried to figure out who had fallen.   
  
Peter's left leg had been crushed under the cart, but he wasn't about to get chewed out again, he pulled his leg out from under the cart, and picked up the money box, stuffing the galleons, knuts, and sickles into their compartments. He picked up the boxes of sweets that were salvageable, which was fortunately most of them, as the had been packaged in various Tupperware containers, and threw away what was ruined, a plate of iced sugar cookies, and a yellow cake, which had landed icing side down in a mud puddle. Using what little strength he had, he flipped the stand upright, putting the cookies and money box on the stand, and tapping a fifth year Hufflepuff yelled, "Lucy, take over," and limped to the hospital wing passing Madame Gurkins, the Hogwarts nurse, with his leg suddenly throbbing with the most horrible pain he could ever remember experiencing, and passed out on an empty bed. 


	7. A Little Testy

A Little Testy  
  
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(Excuse the pun, lol.) Sorry for the lack of updates, this is not my best chapter, but it needed to be said. I'll be working hard to crank out another update within a few weeks. Thanks for the patience, and check out my other stories. A new fluff one is up.  
  
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Peter awoke the next morning still on the same bed he had fallen asleep on the night before. Madame Gurkins had apparently done some sort of spell work on his leg, as it could now move on his own without Peter being able to hear it. Madame Gurkin noticed him stir, and gave him a tablespoon of murtlap essence to ease any pain in his leg that still remained.   
  
"I'm going to have to start stealing that from the Potions master if I want to survive the day." Peter thought, feeling his whole body glow pleasantly from the after affects of the Murtlap essence. Madame Gurkin gave him a very small vile of the essence and advised him not to take any more than absolutely necessary at one time.   
  
"I've only got a bit of this, Pettigrew, and it's quite expensive these days, mind you, so don't go wasting it!" Peter gave her a nod, resisting the temptation to roll his eyes. Eye rolling had not always been a problem for Peter, either. It seemed to be an infectious bug that he had caught from Sirius, as had James who was obviously much more susceptible to it as he had caught it much more quickly, which had just now come in full swing. Peter fought the urge to do anything disrespectful, and left the Hospital wing, limping slightly and clutching the vile of the precious substance as though it were a precious gem. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, and was almost concerned that he would hunch over and start calling it "the precious." Though, had Peter said this aloud, none of his friends would have understood. He knew all too well that his humorous references to muggle pop culture was unappreciated by his wizarding best friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and James Potter. It was tough being a muggle born Wizard at Hogwarts, as Peter was almost daily reminded.   
  
"There you are, Peter, where've you been?" James asked as Peter entered the Great Hall, sitting down beside Remus Lupin and flinging his brown bag onto the bench at his side.   
  
"I've been in the Hospital Wing since yesterday afternoon." Peter replied coolly raising an eyebrow at James. Had he really not noticed his absence? Wasn't he worried about him? Hadn't anyone been concerned about all this? Obviously not. Remus raised both his eyebrows, bit both his lips simultaneously, and looked at James before spearing a sausage and returning to his breakfast.   
  
" Sorry Wormtail, we were just having so much fun studying for the test, you know." James added cheerfully, shoveling pancakes onto his plate and drowning them in maple syrup.   
  
"Right…" Peter said, still somewhat aloof, but James didn't notice his tone.  
  
"James asked Lily out." Sirius added between bites off eggs and toast.   
  
"Again?" Remus asked looking at James with a half smile.   
  
"Yep."  
  
"Well what did she say?" Remus looked suspiciously in his direction.  
  
"Oh, I think she's going to say 'yes' soon!" James replied almost shouting, "This time she said, 'Let me think about it….no.' See? She thought about it! That's almost as good as saying, 'I want to go out with you but now's just not a good time!'"  
  
"I hate to break it to you, Prongs, but I think she was being sarcastic." Sirius said, patting James on the back, who looked completely deflated.   
  
"Is there a chance that it was sarcasm for 'yes I'd love too?'" James looked up hopefully at Sirius, who shook his head and patted James on the back again before rolling his eyes. Sirius always got annoyed when James went on his "Lily" tangents. True enough, Sirius might have gone after Lily if his best friend hadn't been crazy about her, but hearing about her long crimson hair 50 times a day did get tiresome to most.   
  
They quickly finished their Sunday breakfast, and ran up to the Gryffindor Common Room, settling down on the red velvet couches.   
  
"Name the seer who predicted the death of Hercules in Greece." Remus asked Sirius. Remus was quizzing anyone who would sit still long enough over the material for the History of Magic Test.   
  
"Why do we have to know that? I thought the test was over the ROMAN Empire." Sirius whined.   
  
"It is, but it's over Greece too, you see, because we started the term with Greek History and ho wit lead into Roman history and how the two similar cultures-"  
  
"All right! All right!" Sirius almost shouted, "How about…Nymphamadora? That's my cousin's name. That a good name for the seer, James?"  
  
"Sounds fine." James nodded, " I can see a seer being named that."  
  
"No! No! NO!" Remus shouted, getting very annoyed with them, "I don't want you to think of something to name her, I want you to tell me her NAME!"  
  
"What, you don't know?" Sirius said, looking shocked.  
  
"No! I want you to tell me so I can make sure that you know!" They continued to argue for the next hour or so, Remus asking Sirius more questions, and Sirius and James giving Remus hell in as funny a way as possible. Peter was drifting off and thinking about Lily. He had caught himself doodling on a piece of paper, and looked down to see that he had drawn a picture of Lily, her long hair blowing in the wind and fluttering around her slender shoulders. Peter had always been a good drawer, he thought as he sat there swooning. James suddenly shifted his focus to Peter and tried to see what he was drawing from 15 feet away.  
  
"What you drawing Peter?" James asked. Peter panicked and flipped the page over as James started to get up and walk over. Peter drew a very quick sketch of a snitch and a half of a boy on a broom.   
  
"Cool," James said looking at his sketch, "Can I see the rest?"  
  
"Umm…no you see, because I don't have any more, um, drawings in here." He said, flipping to the back and very front showing him notes on one page, and the other being blank.   
  
"Oh. Okay." James looked mildly disappointed, but picked up his copy of, "Classical Magic from Greece and Other Ancient Civilizations," and turning to a page titled, "Atlantis, Fact or Fiction?" Sirius gave up on studying with Remus and sat with James, laughing gleefully at Greek History.   
  
"I wish this whole test would be over," James said throwing down his book, "I've got a big match against Slytherin next week!" He pouted and kicked the huge textbook a few yards, letting it hit the gate in front of the furnace.   
  
"Wouldn't you know it? We do." Sirius responded looking at his watch, which had the date on it in the corner, "James, you'd better score more points than my little brother does. I'd hate for there to be a death in the family." Sirius added while grinding a chalky rock into the stone furnace.   
  
"Ah, Regulus is the new Chaser for Slytherin?" James raised an eyebrow, trying not to say anything bad about Sirius' little brother, which Sirius could do a good job of himself.   
  
"Yes, the big git." Sirius said, reducing the rock to dust, "Mr. and Mrs. Black paid his way onto the team, bought the whole lot of them new broomsticks and uniforms. He was so jealous of my being on the team, and our parents couldn't STAND their blood traitor son to have anything that dear little Reggie didn't have." Sirius had always hated his family, as long as Peter could remember, at least, and as the older brother to his mother's favorite child, Sirius often got angry when discussing his brother's house. Not that his brother was all there was to hate about Slytherin, there was Severus Snape too. He was a greasy haired, oily, pallid boy who knew too much about the dark arts for his own good. James and Snape were mortal enemies, and had been for ages. James hated Snape even more than Lily hated him, which was perhaps a stretch.   
  
"But you know what REALLY hacks me off?" Sirius asked, fuming angrily, but did not wait for anyone to answer, "He's probably going to be CAPTAIN next year after that stupid Malfoy graduates." Lucius Malfoy was a tall, blonde, and very good looking Slytherin from a respectable Wizard family who could trace their blood back to before the days of Merlin. Lucius wouldn't have particularly bothered James or Peter except for the fact that he was a Slytherin, and he was terribly unkind to muggle born witches and wizards. And even this would not have been a cause for much concern, except that among the muggle born was the lovely Lily Evans, the red haired object of their affections. Well, Peter was a muggle born to, he supposed, but Malfoy had never really took out enough interest in Peter to make his life hell, for which he was both grateful, and slightly disappointed. In truth, Peter wasn't sure if Lucius knew he was a muggle born wizard. Peter had always that that he had some sort of muggle senses or something, like he could smell it in the air when he was around a muggle born wizard. However, this was a rather absurd suggestion, and Peter never mentioned it for fear of ridicule.   
  
"Well, the good thing is, after Frank graduates, I'll be GRYFFINDOR Quidditch Captain, and we'll be squared."  
  
"No, if I was Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, we'd be squared. Or maybe that wouldn't be enough. Maybe if I was Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, AND I played all 6 positions on the team, we might be squared."  
  
"There are 7 positions on the team, Sirius." James said, laughing slightly.   
  
"GADS! I can't do anything!"  
  
"Nah Padfoot, you just can't add." James replied with a jovial pat on the back.   
  
"Hmm…I guess you're right."  
  
"What was the date of the second Punic War?" Remus asked them, resuming normal activity.   
  
"How about…Marilyn Monroe. She'd be a good date." Sirius said, without paying much attention to the trying and annoyed look on Remus' face.  
  
"You're insufferable, you know that?" Remus said banging the large book down on the polished oak table.  
  
"And yet, you suffer me anyway!" Sirius replied cheerfully, throwing his hands in the air and slamming them down on his knees.   
  
Peter was not really paying attention, and not really being paid attention to. This was how he spent most days. Sometimes it was lonely, feeling more like the lone ranger than a marauder, but he made do with the situation at hand. He ran his fingers over the curves on his red leather chair, and found himself drifting off into thoughts about the red chair. But as many things do, this let him into thoughts of Lily. Red Chair rhymed with Red hair; Lily had red hair, and it was beautiful. Lily was Beautiful. But did that make the red chair beautiful? No, of course not. Peter whacked himself on the forehead for thinking about such things. He was having a Remus Lupin moment, only he seemed to be able to turn love into a logic problem. That sure could suck the fun out of anything, relating it to schoolwork could. Lily was no math problem. Though, really, Lily WAS a problem. She was a problem for Peter, because he loved her, and he wouldn't give her the time of day.   
  
If Lily is going on one train going from London to Hogsmede at 90 miles per hour, and Peter is going on another train from Hogsmede to London at 70 miles per hour, and both of the trains leave the station at 10 am, what time will it be when Lily finally notices Peter?  
  
Never.   
  
If Peter has 67 galleons and Lily has 43, and Peter gives Lily 67 galleons, when will Lily and Peter get married?  
  
Never.  
  
If Peter drove a bright orange 1968 Chevrolet Camero into Hogwarts honking his horn and playing Jingle bells and started rampaging through the school at 95 miles per hour, would Lily notice him?  
  
Doubtful.  
  
As far as she was concerned, Peter was living scenery. If her life were a movie, he would be an extra. Or maybe one of those guys who waits outside the red carpet waving his hands around begging for an autograph, only to be escorted to a nearby prison by her body guards for suspected stalking. They had no evidence, thought Peter. His obsession with Lily was his own business.   
  
Sirius sneezed loudly, snapping Peter to attention. He couldn't believe he was still thinking about Lily. Obsession wasn't a strong enough word really. He had been silent for almost an hour now. No one seemed to worried about him, though, so Peter picked up a history of Magic book and started reading about the Roman Gods. He read about Juno, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Ceres. Then he came to Venus, goddess of beauty, which couldn't help but remind him of Lily…  
  
A few hours later, Peter and the other boys went up to the dormitory. Remus excused himself as he had done last night to check on the first years, and Sirius rolled his eyes at Remus, muttering something to James about, "if he wasn't such a goody two-shoes, I'd think he was UP to something." Sirus and James, tired of studying under the baleful eye of Remus Lupin, decided to play a rousing game of Exploding Snap, which lasted until about 12 o'clock in the morning, when Remus rejoined them and began to lecture the lot of them on the importance of…something. Peter didn't quite catch it, but he assumed that it had something to do with not staying up late playing stupid games when one should be studying for a huge test they have tomorrow. Peter yawned loudly, and, getting tired of all the arguing, decided to go to bed. He pulled on his pajama bottoms and climbed into his four poster, with a mumbled "G'night." Remus followed him soon after, but James and Sirius stayed up for at least another hour throwing little balls of paper at each other, and the very annoyed Remus Lupin, who was trying very hard to ignore the pair of them.   
  
Peter couldn't sleep. It wasn't just Sirius and James' giggling that kept him up, he was horribly nervous. He should have studied more for that test, even Sirius and James had studied for that test. Unwillingly, to be sure, but nonetheless, they had gotten in at least SOME legitimate studying. Peter had overheard some of the questions Remus had asked Sirius and James, but he had never heard the correct answers, and he was fairy certain that "R" wasn't the capitol of Rome. If he got a "C" on this test, his average would drop a letter grade. He had an "B," but he was hanging on by a thread. He had an 80.1%, But this was still counted as simply as a "B," because Hogwarts only used whole letter grades on report cards. Peter tried to run through all the facts he knew in his head. Dates were spinning around in his mind. He was confusing dates with other dates and times and places with other times and places. His mind was muddled up and twisted up so much that facts began to run together like large puddles of information, impossible to determine one fact from the next. Who was Hercules mother? What was the real reason that many muggles thought they were seers? Who was the most famous Roman Seer? What was the name of the most pronounced wizard in Roman society? What did they attribute magical happenings to? What was the date of the first Punic war? What started it? Who was…what…the date...of Hercules…in Troy…  
  
Peter awoke to a loud beeping, followed by an even louder "CRUNCH." That would be Sirius' alarm clock, and Sirius' left hand hitting the alarm clock. Peter always thought that Gringotts vaults should be made of the same materials as alarm clocks, they must be the most impregnable things in the world. As much as abuse as that alarm clock had taken from Sirius, the Gryffindor team's beater who had knocked many an unsuspecting student of his broom, Peter was very surprised that the alarm clock had neither combusted, nor learned its lesson. If anything, the clock was more annoying than it had ever been, Sirius having messed up the beeper, which now beeped more loudly, and with a greater frequency.   
  
The clock continued to beep as Peter swung his feet around his bed, and walked over to Sirius, who had covered his head with his pillow and was now groaning and growling, and turned off his alarm clock by pressing a large round button on the top. Peter hurried into the bathroom to avoid the rush, brushed his teeth and combed his hair, and went back into the dormitories, packing his open History of Magic book into his book bag, and pushing his quills and ink bottles to the far corner of his bag. He slipped on his school robes, put a tiny bit of mousse in his hair, and rushed out of the dormitory into the Gryffindor common room. It was only 7:20. Classes, the first being History of magic, didn't start 'till 9, and he wouldn't go to Breakfast until at least 8:30. He had a whole hour to study, if he could concentrate that is, and he knew he was best to get started. Only problem was, he wasn't sure where to start. He skimmed the book again and again, picking up little bits of information, hoping to manage at least a B-. It was 7:30, maybe he'd manage to pick up some more about the Gods. It was 7:40, maybe a little Roman Government. It was 7:50, just a bit more about the Consulate. It was 8:00. People began to walk through the common room, going to Breakfast or deciding to sit on the couch resignedly, warming themselves by the crackling fireplace. At 8:05, Remus Lupin trotted down the stairs, hair brushed, though still messy, and 10 or 11 books under his arm and in his bag. He had circles under his eyes so dark that his brown eyes were almost lost in them. He picked up his wand, pointed at himself and muttered, "enervate," which brightened his face considerably, as he found a place on the couch next to Peter. Remus and Peter asked each other questions from the reading, though Remus was getting many more of them right than Peter.   
  
At about 8:15, a large group of giggling girls rushed out of the 6th year girls dormitories. At the head of the pack, Lily Evans, crimson red hair falling delicately around her slender shoulders, trod down the stairs, laughing and chatting with a pretty but plain girl with Brown hair and blue eyes, Alice Muran, a close friend. Lily spied Peter and Remus sitting on the couch, and flashed them a smile, glistening brilliantly white teeth lighting up the room better than the fire ever could. Peter waved back at her, but he was not really acknowledged. She must have been waving at Remus. Why wouldn't she? He was the other Gryffindor prefect. But still, the way she waved at him seemed… different, oh he didn't know. Peter was just a part of the sofa that someone couldn't sit on. She saw right past him, and he couldn't say he blamed her. Remus continued watching Lily as she waved at him, walking in what seemed like slow motion to the portrait hole.   
  
About five minutes later, Sirius and James burst through the dormitory. Sirius jogged quickly down the stairs stopping at the landing and leaning against the wall, while James chose to slide down the banister, hopping off right before the end, and stuck his landing 3 feet from the edge of the stairs. Sirius clapped and whistled, while James gave a mock bow, and thanked the Academy. Peter and Remus packed up their books, and Sirius, Remus, James and Peter all made their way to the dining hall. They found seats next to each other on the far right end of the Gryffindor table, and stuffed their plates full off eggs, bacon, kippers and pancakes. Between bites of food, Remus quizzed the 3 of them over History of Magic material, and Peter listened rather than talked for the first 15 minutes.   
  
They were finished with breakfast with 25 minutes to spare before class started., and found themselves walking outside to sit on the lawn for a little while until they had to leave for the dreaded test. Remus had given up on quizzing the for now, and he and Sirius reclined with their heads against the tree, napping, while James read over the textbook and Peter sat by the tree glancing at his watch every so often. The grounds glistened like diamonds in the morning dew, and Peter was stricken by the beauty of the lake and the grounds, gentle rippling on the surface of the water attracted a group of 6th year girls, Lily included, who soaked their feet in the water waiting to go back up to the castle. After 20 minutes had passed, the marauders made their way up to the castle, Sirius stretching and yawning. They slowly walked up to the History of Magic Classroom, and pulled open the door, Peter almost shaking with worry.  
  
Lily and her friends were all there, giggling nervously and dipping their quills in ink, readying themselves for the test. Peter's idea of preparation was freeking out so much that he spilled his ink everywhere, and then mopping it up off his desk leaving a sticky black residue on the desk. The exams were being passed out in alphabetical order. Abbot. Bell. Black. Bones. Diggory. Evans. Finch. Fletchly. Johnson. Lupin. MacMillan. Muran. Pettigrew… Peter stared at the paper, and looked at the first blank. Name. He could do that much, Peter Patrick Pettigrew. Of course, this made for an interesting initial, but that was not his concern. It was time to move onto the questions. He would have answer them all, or risk failing. He took his pencil to the paper. "What was the date of the second Punic War? He couldn't remember. He HAD to remember! He just had to think. Think hard. Lily would never like him if he was stupid. Think, Peter, think! You know this one! What could it be? Maybe he'd just skip that one. But he looked down, all the questions were like that. He'd have to do the best he could, and pray for the best. Yes, all he could do now was pray....  
  
TBC 


End file.
